Our Memorable Hawaii Getaway
Hello! Welcome back to my diary. Today I will be writing about my trip to Hawaii. This trip is really fun so sit back, relax and enjoy.
My trip started on the 16th of February. That morning, I woke up at about 7 AM ecstatic about going to Hawaii. One of my dad’s friends- Roshan Uncle arrived at our house to drop us off at our first destination/ fellow traveller’s (Nabaraj KC uncle’s) house.
Nabaraj Uncle and his family were joining us on this trip so we together taxied to EWR Airport. Just before we hit the airport my dad received a text message that our flight was delayed.
As we arrived at the airport, we went to a place to sit while waiting for the TSA to open. I walked over to check our flight status, and there it was—”DELAYED” in big, bold red letters. I sighed and I was starting to think we’d ever leave. Our original flight was scheduled to take off at 7:29 pm.
When we finally got through security, my legs were cramped from hours of sitting. We made it to our gate, and I checked the board, hoping for a better ETA, but it remained the same. Nabaraj Uncle, Neel, Nirabh, and I walked up to the gate agent, who told us the delay had actually shortened, even though it wasn’t updated on the board. That gave me some hope—only an hour left. After what felt like forever, we finally boarded at 9 :40 PM. The pilot welcomed us and gave the flight details, and soon, we were in the air.
We landed at LAX around 1 AM and had to endure a six-hour layover. With nothing to do, I tried to sleep, but it was impossible to get comfortable. When I woke up, hunger hit, so my dad, Nabaraj Uncle, Neel, Nirabh, and I went to a nearby panini shop. The spinach and chicken panini I got was so good it made up for the long wait. Finally, our flight to Honolulu arrived. As soon as I saw the plane, I recognized it as an Airbus A330-200. I grabbed a window seat and was thrilled to see a tablet in front of me. At least this flight wouldn’t feel as long.
After about five hours, we entered Hawaiian airspace, and I finally looked out the window to see the islands. We made it. Once we landed and exited the jetway, my first priority was finding a bathroom since I wasn’t allowed to go during the descent. Then came another problem—our bags never arrived. Nabaraj Uncle went to the airline service desk and found out they had been misplaced. Once that was taken care of, we headed to the car rental, picked up our vehicle, and made a quick stop at Walmart before finally arriving at our hotel. I spent the rest of the evening swimming and relaxing.
The next morning, we started our day early with a grueling hike up Koko Head. It was nothing but stairs up a steep mountain, and by the time we reached the top, my legs were burning. The way down was even worse. After recovering, we visited Pearl Harbor, the place where Japanese fighter jets had attacked American battleships on December 7, 194. There we took a boat to the USS Arizona Memorial. Seeing the sunken ship for 84 years was undoubtedly the emotional experience at Pearl Harbor. Neel and Nirabh were most excited about the VR experience, but the graphics were so bad it looked like a seven-year-old had designed it. Afterward, we made our way to Waikiki Beach and arrived just in time for sunset. The golden light reflecting off the sand and water was an unforgettable sight.
The next day, we took a Mercedes van with a tour guide around the Oʻahu coastline. First, we stopped at Diamond Head Beach Park, where we admired the waves and coral reefs, though we didn’t see any whales. At Koko Crater Arch, we visited a beach where Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed, surrounded by clean water and volcanic rocks. We then saw a whale breach at Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline, where there were also WWII bunkers. At Byodo-In Temple, we prayed, lit incense, and fed birds and fish, which was a unique experience. Our last stop wasThe Macadamia Nut Farm Outlet, where wild chickens roamed, and I surprisingly enjoyed the coconut water, despite usually not liking it.
After spending a few days in Honolulu, we boarded a short flight to Kona on the Big Island. The flight was quick, and as we descended, the vast lava fields and rugged coastline came into view. Stepping off the plane, we immediately felt the difference: the air was warmer, drier, and carried the faint scent of the ocean. After grabbing our bags, we made our way to the Enterprise rental counter, where Dad handled the paperwork while Nirabh and Neel excitedly debated what kind of car we would get. Soon, we were driving through the island’s unique landscape, a mix of hardened lava rock and lush tropical greenery, on our way to the Airbnb.
The Airbnb was a cozy, spacious house in a quiet area, surrounded by palm trees and filled with sounds of bugs, and birds. At night time the sounds of wildlife, specifically bugs and birds made us feel like our Airbnb was in the middle of a rainforest. After observing our Airbnb, everyone settled in, unpacking and getting comfortable. That evening, we picked up some local food and ate together, enjoying ourselves. The next morning, we set out early to visit the National Volcano Center. The drive took us through a sea of lava fields that looked like wastelands, and the excitement grew as we got closer. Walking along the hardened lava flows and looking into the vast crater of the volcano felt unreal. Neel and Nirabh were fascinated by the steam vents, watching the mist rise from the cracks in the earth.
After spending a few hours exploring the volcano, we drove to a black sand beach. The contrast of the jet-black sand against the deep blue ocean was striking. We played by the shore while our parents relaxed and took pictures of the view. The sand felt different under our feet, softer, almost like chunky rocks instead of smooth sand. We stayed for a while, watching the waves crash before eventually heading back to our Airbnb for the night. The next morning, we had plans to go ziplining, but when we arrived, we found out it was fully booked. Disappointed but determined to make the most of the day, we searched for other activities nearby.
We decided to go on the Atlantis Submarine tour, which turned out to be an amazing experience. Descending below the ocean’s surface, we saw colorful coral reefs, schools of fish, and even a sunken ship. We all were shocked seeing the vast world of the ocean below us, pressing their faces against the windows, pointing at every passing fish. After the tour, we grabbed some poke bowls from a nearby restaurant, enjoying the fresh, flavorful fish while sitting by the water. As the day wound down, we made our way to the airport, returning the rental car before catching our flight back to Honolulu.
Back in Honolulu, we had a long layover, waiting at the airport until 7 in the morning for our flight to LAX. Everyone was exhausted, trying to catch bits of sleep wherever we could. It was actually my birthday in the airport, and Once we landed in Los Angeles, we spent the day resting before our final flight the next morning. At sunrise, we boarded our Alaskan Airlines flight to EWR, marking the end of our incredible island adventure. The trip had been packed with unforgettable moments, and though we were tired, we carried back memories that would last a lifetime.
About 2 days after we arrived home, I was finishing my homework ready to go to bed, but Mom and Dad had one last surprise for me. They handed me a small box, and when I opened it, I was shocked to see a brand-new iPhone 16 Pro. I couldn’t believe they had planned this the whole time! I looked at them in disbelief as they smiled, telling me I deserved it. Holding the sleek phone in my hands, I felt overwhelmed with excitement. It was the perfect ending to an unforgettable trip, and I couldn’t wait to relive all our Hawaii memories through the photos on my new phone.
-Nishant Pandit
